AAP launches card assuring free power if it wins polls
The ‘Kejriwal Muft Bijli Guarantee Card’, promises free power up to 300 units
DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday launched a card guaranteeing free electricity up to 300 units if the party wins the next year’s assembly elections -- a move that comes days after party chief Arvind Kejriwal made the promise in Dehradun.
The card, called ‘Kejriwal Muft Bijli Guarantee Card’, was launched by AAP’s state unit in charge Dinesh Mohaniya in the presence of party president for Uttarakhand, SS Kaler, and senior party leader Col Ajay Kothiyal (retd) at an event in Dehradun.
The card, a symbolic guarantee for free power, will be distributed by 10,000 workers of AAP among households in all the 70 assembly seats in the state after people register for free electricity service. During his recent visit to Dehradun, Delhi chief minister Kejriwal promised 300 units of free electricity to all households, 24-hour unhindered power supply, free power to farmers, and waiver of all pending electricity bills, if his party comes to power in the state in 2022.
Earlier, the Uttarakhand power minister had announced free electricity up to 100 units, but the proposal is yet to be approved by the state cabinet.
Addressing the media, Mohaniya said, “AAP works to provide the best possible basic services, including water, electricity and education. This card assures the public of Uttarakhand that if we win the 2022 assembly elections, we will fulfil the promises made by our party supremo.” He said the party flagged off 350 vehicles from Dehradun on Saturday, which would visit all the 70 constituencies to publicise the guarantee card.
“Five vehicles have been assigned for each seat. Our party members will visit the households in those vehicles and urge them to register themselves with the party’s platform and get the card. We have also launched a website, ‘kejriwalbijliguarantee.in’, on which anyone can register for free power. The party has also launched a contact number, 7669007669, through which people can also register by giving a missed call,” said Mohaniya. He attacked the ruling BJP and opposition Congress for criticising AAP’s free power promise. “It is unfortunate that since our leader Kejriwal made the promise to the people of Uttarakhand which produces its own power, these parties have been opposing it. We want to ask them: If their leaders can get free electricity in their residences, why can’t the people?”
Mohaniya said, “We know that the fight is not easy for us, but we will win the polls with the support of people.”
Kothiyal said the BJP and Congress are a “political disaster” in Uttarakhand.
“During the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy, my team and I fought the natural disaster while figuring out a new trek route for the shrine. But now as an AAP leader, I am not fighting a natural disaster but a political disaster,” he said. “The way BJP and Congress are attacking us on the free power supply promise, it made us believe that we are doing it right.”
The BJP and Congress termed the AAP as irrelevant in Uttarakhand politics. BJP state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said, “It is the working style of AAP to make false promises which they can’t fulfil. They won’t succeed in Uttarakhand as people are aware of their tactics.” State Congress spokesperson Garima Dasauni said, “They know that they have no political ground in Uttarakhand. Hence they are making such promises months before the elections to get some votes. But, people of Uttarakhand are smart enough to not fall into their trap.”
AAP works to provide the best possible basic services, including water, electricity and education. This card assures the public of Uttarakhand that if we win the 2022 assembly elections, we will fulfil the promises made by our party supremo DINESH MOHANIYA ,
AAP state in charge